Island



(-No Model.)

N. P. MATHEWSON. TOE WEIGHT FOR HORSES.

No. 538,214. Patented Apr. 23, 1895.

I) l E 64 A x m W/KIIIHHTIIIII k UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NATHAN F. MATHEWSON, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

TOE- WElGHT FOR HORSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 538,214, dated April 23, 1895.

Application filed September 5 It 94. Serial No. 522| (N0 model) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NATHAN F. MATHEW- SON, of the city and county of Providence, in the State of Rhode Island, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Toe- Weights for Horses; and I declare the followingto be a specification thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Like letters indicate like parts.

Figure l is a side elevation of my invention as applied to a horse shoe. Fig. 2 is a view ofthe same in a central, vertical section.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of my invention with the cap piece removed. Fig. 4. is a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the cap piece. Fig. 6 is a central, vertical section of the cap piece. Fig. 7 is a view of the cap piece in cross section on line 0cw of Figs. 6 and 8. Fig. 8 isa rear elevation of the cap piece. Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate a modified form of my invention.

My invention relates to metallic toe weights, adapted to be secured to the shoes or hoofs of horses to increase their speed; and it consists of the combination of a cap piece, having a spring-actuated latch, with a plate adapted to be inserted between the horse shoe and hoof in a slot in the former and hinged ,to a bar, which is provided with means of engaging said latch, as hereinafter particularly described.

In the drawings A represents the horses hoof and B the horse shoe thereon. The shoe B at its-front or toe is transversely slotted, as indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 9.

O is the shoe plate of my device, having a lip a and a screw-hole b. The shoe-plate O is inserted through the slot in the horse shoe and lies between the hoof and the shoe, being secured in position by a screw 0, which passes through said screw hole b into the shoe B. An upward projection D, preferebly integral with the shoe-plate 0, extends from the shoeplate 0 and through the upper portion of said projection a set screw (1 passes.

E is the hoof-plate of my device. It has downwardly projecting ear-pieces e, between which the projection D passes and a bolt or pin f, passing through the hoof-plate E and the projection D, constitutes a hinge joint.. On the front of the hoof-plate E is a socket or chamber, formed by the walls g, g, g, the first of which has the hole g" and the latter two of which have the shoulders g'. The plate E also has its inner surface grooved, as shown at h. On the rear surface of the hoofplate E is a rubber lining or pad F.

The cap piece of the device is seen at G and consists of a shell-like or concavo-convex piece, having a curved exterior surface, a central projecting lip lo and ear-pieces k at its lower sides. It also has a central inwardly extending post Z and at its top a hole to.

The latch or bolt H has a thumb-piecen at its upper'or outer end and its inner or lower end is beveled. Said bolt H is of a diameter to enter the hole 9 of the hoof-plate E. A spiral spring I surrounds the bolt H and has its upper bearing against the inner upper surface of the cap piece G and its lower bearing against the pin 0, which passes through said bolt. The cap piece G may also have walls 10 (Figs. 6, 7 and 8), between which and the interior surface of the cap piece, rubber cushions J are placed, said cushions being heldin place by the lips q. (Fig. 8.)

Instead of a permanent hinge-connection of the plates D E by the bolt f, I may use a detachable hinge-connection, illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, in which it is seen that the pin f of the projection D is received into the hookshaped ear-pieces r of a hoof-plate E. This hoof-plate E may also be a solid piece, with convex surfaces, and constitute itself the toe weight, without the additional cap piece shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The shoe-plate O is placed in the slot of the shoe B and is secured thereto by the screw'c, before the shoe is fastened to the hoof, the lip a abutting against thefront edge of the shoe. By means of the set screw d the hinged hoof-plate E is brought to such an angle that it will lie in snug contact with the hoof, the rubber lining or pad F serving to prevent any concussion between the hoof-plate and hoof.

- The cap piece G is placed in position with the post Z inserted into the chamber or socket, formed-on the hoof-plate E by the walls g g, and then is crowded inwardly, which movement causes the beveled end of the latch or bolt H to slip into the hole g", so looking the cap piece G in position upon the plate E by the force of the spiral spring I. The post Z is prevented from upward displacement by the shoulders g of the socket or chamber on the hoof-plate E and the bolt H and its spring lie within the groove h of the hoof-plate.

The rubber cushions J within the cap piece G, coming into contact with the surface of the hoof, protect it from concussion.

To disengage the cap piece G it is but necessary to withdraw the bolt H slightly, by means of its thumb piece it, from engagement in the hole g of the hoof-plate E, whereupon the cap piece is readily removed.

If the hoof-plate is furnished with hooks 0", instead of being hinged by ear-pieces e, it can readily be disengaged from the shoe-plate C and the projection D thereof.

I claim as a novel and useful invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a toe weight for horses, the combination of a shoe-plate adapted to be inserted and fastened between the shoe and hoof, an upward projection extending from said shoeplate and provided with a cross pin or bolt, a hoof-plate mounted by ear-pieces upon said pin or bolt, and a set screw passing through said projection and bearing against said hoofplate, substantially as shown.

2. The combination of a shoe-plate having an upward projection, a hoof-plate mounted by a hinge joint upon the shoe-plate and provided with a socket, a set screw passing through said projection and bearing against said hoof-plate, and a cap piece having a spring bolt mounted therein which is engageable with said socket, substantially as described.

3. The improved toe weight for horses herein described, consisting of the shoe-plate 0 having the lip on and screw hole I), the projection D extending upward from said shoe-plate, the hoof-plate E hinged by ear-pieces and by the bolt or pin f to the shoe-plate O and provided with the shouldered chamber or socket piece 9 g g having the hole g", the rubber pad F on the inner side of the hoofplate, the set screw cl passing through the sh oeplate and bearing against the hoof-plate, and the cap piece G having the central post Z adapted to enter said chamber or socket, the bolt H mounted in said cappiece and post and furnished with a spiral spring I and with a beveled end engageable with the hole g" of said chamber or socket and provided with a thumb-piece n, and the rubber cushions J within said cap-piece, all arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose specified. I

NATHAN F. MATHEYVSON. Vitnesses:

WARREN R. PERCE, DANIEL W. FINK. 

